


To Stand Alone, To Lean Against

by Grain_Crain



Category: Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six (Video Games)
Genre: Fluff, M/M, Pining, Pre-Relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-30
Updated: 2020-08-30
Packaged: 2021-03-06 17:13:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,071
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26192473
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Grain_Crain/pseuds/Grain_Crain
Summary: Echo finds Vigil doing something harmful to his health. He is worried, as a good 'friend' should be.
Relationships: Marasu "Echo" Enatsu/Chul Kyung "Vigil" Hwa
Comments: 4
Kudos: 23





	To Stand Alone, To Lean Against

**Author's Note:**

> (Sub-heading: 人 - a Chinese character for 'person.' There are two stories behind his character.  
> 1\. A shape of human standing alone with legs apart.  
> 2\. A shape of two sticks leaning against each other, meaning that people should stick together as a social creature. But this us a very modern interpretation of the character, so it may not be an all too accurate description.)

If there is one subtle, and yet most obvious aspect Echo learned about Vigil would be the absence of the very man. Whenever there’s a vacant stare, an empty expression painted across his face, the Korean disappears once in a while. Wherever that ensures him zero to nil human encounter throughout the day. 

So was it a coincidence for Echo to spot a pair of shoe soles above him as he walked out of the base? He could have assumed such sight to be someone’s not-so-wise idea to dry their boots. Or it could be a silly, useless prank made by one of the rowdy bunches. But he recognised the kind, the same pair he saw often while kneeling down to push up the reinforcement walls. The black coating on tip and heel, and then grey on the arch. It is usually the first thing his peripheral vision catches while focusing on his phone and laying down behind the deployable shield. 

Does that mean he should walk up and find a ladder to the rooftop? To verify his near damn sure assumption? For he does not know the reason behind Vigil’s voluntary solitude, he dares not approach or acknowledge. A person has all the rights to their privacy. No matter how many times Echo notices the moment Vigil slips out of his sight. Doesn’t matter to find the man inching closer since the very first day they met through Dokkaebi. From sitting two people length apart during meals (because they were the tag-along of the great friendship between their CTU ladies) to being cramped in a small room for alcoholic gatherings. The shortest distance they have achieved so far is within an arm’s reach while lounging on a couch. Not close enough to butt into each other's' business, but it’s enough for Echo to observe from time to time. 

Then he notices something different. A whiff he’s quite familiar with, a vice most people indulge in despite its obvious toxic effect to the body. Echo scoffed it off when Dokkaebi made a crude remark on how Vigil stinks, but it didn’t take him long to find the truth behind her mean-spirited taunt. Anything nicotine alike ruins healthy lungs, equating to a person’s ability to breathe. A roamer’s life depends on how fast they can sprint on demand, so it’s a no brainer to know that Vigil definitely shouldn’t be the one embodying the stench of cigarettes. Echo won’t understand or accept whatever drove the man into such a state. 

A little after three in the afternoon in the lounge area, and Vigil pushes himself off from the couch. Not a muscle moves from Echo, other than his eyes following every movement from the other man. Slow steps towards the coffee table for a sip of water. Pulling out his phone to check the time. Two scratches on the short buzz of a scalp, then a hand reaching out to the top of a bookshelf. A small box of red and white is wrapped around his fingers, then soon disappears into the pant’s pocket. Five brisk steps and Vigil is out of Echo’s sight. Not quite, because the lazy man of ingenuity has installed five yokais along the route from here to the maintenance ladder to the rooftop. He decides to follow after seeing Vigil walking past the second cam while himself is shown on the first. _Yes, it’s a clear abuse of his work tools and Mira won’t be quite happy if she discovers what his selfish heart is doing._ But this is just as important, if not a priority for their teamwork. Defenders must look after one another, even though Echo doubts that he will exert the same effort for any other operators. A nice excuse would be contextual compassion since Vigil is Dokkaebi’s senior, and the woman is somewhat close to him. An _excuse_ that fools no one.

Through the corridor, fire exit stairs and top most floors. Echo stops beneath the fourth yokai and watches Vigil holding on to a ladder from the fifth screen. The man looks left to right, front and back, hangs his head low and then starts to climb. For a brief, millisecond of a moment, Echo wonders if Vigil glanced right at the camera, catching him red handed through the digital medium. Coincidence, Echo rationalises while breathing slow to calm whatever nerve tingling that zooms past his neck. 

It would have been about three minutes since Vigil had climbed up. Echo is now facing the same ladder, looking up at the hatch with spinning-wheel-vault type. _That is hard to be sneaky._ It will creak and the pop after releasing the pressure might be alarming. What if he becomes the reason Vigil jumps off from the ledge? Is this even legal; to follow a work colleague and say ‘hey I just stalked you because you’re smoking and that’s not healthy.’ There’s nothing _illegal_ about it, but is this a polite thing to do? What prompted Echo to be a creep who thought it’s a good idea to _stalk_ rather than talking to the man like a civilised adult. That is a mystery zone. A problematic equation where he had an estimation, but it’s far off from the actual calculation. Perhaps it’s better to turn back. It’s logical to turn back, and does he comply? No. He hangs on the ladder, realising how much he has climbed already. Frozen with dilemma and conflict, Echo tries to find a definitive answer when he has one that’s all mushy with doubts. 

_CREAK_

Out of reflex, Echo shoots his head towards the noise and flinches when something drops on his cheek. Wet. Not so different from his own temperature. Freshly dropped from the man who is peeking down, his fluttering damp lashes unable to contain a couple other that falls on the messy bird nest of Echo’s hair. 

The constant noise in his head wipes away. Only one question, and a sinking feeling dragging his heart down, “Are you crying?” 

An answer can come in many different expressions, but having the hatch door closing down on him isn’t one. Not a moment to think about what his body compels to do. Echo almost leaps and ducks down to save his head from the impact, allowing the neck and shoulders to brace the impact of the hatch’s weight. No, there is a force pushing down on him, determined to shun Echo as an unexpected intruder.

“Hwa, open up,” He grits to withstand, but reply comes back as a heavier nudge, “Come on. You’re hurting me.” That’s true. Fingers wrapped around the steel foothold are starting to burn and sting from the pressure they’re facing against.

“Go. I will come down later.” Finally a verbal response. There’s not much change in how hard he is pushing, though. 

The hatch is solid, premium metal while skin is squishy and rubbery. Prone to being squashed against bones, prompting pain as the whole process of bruises in making, “Hwa, I’m not going. I need to talk to you,” It’s starting to sore, the sensation almost akin to flesh being ripped aside, “Chul Kyung. It’s just me. Open,” Laboured breathing and scowls, but Echo manages to open his mouth properly without speaking through tightly shut teeth, “Please.”

There is an initial whoosh. Echo nearly shoots himself up, losing his balance from exerting the power upwards. Thankfully there is a grip by the back of his shirt, helping him to climb and step towards the windy terrain and clear blue sky view. He squints at the sudden flare, but his vision adjusts in a second and Vigil is right there in plain sight. Back facing Echo, sitting on the ledge and the cigarette box resting under his palm. 

He treads carefully, wondering if the aloof shy guy will fly way despite being fully human. Yes, this is what people do. Talk things out like full grown adults, “It’s boring up here.” _Talk like an adult, damn it._ Echo finds a place to sit close to the other, but a safe distance away from the ledge. 

Vigil looks to his right, hiding his face away, “Windy too.”

“What brings you here?”

“Nothing much.” Two taps from the heels of his boots on the concrete wall. Vigil then folds his legs in and takes a strand out from the box.

“Can I have a look?” Echo points at the one between his friend’s fingers. 

Vigil cocks a brow at seemingly random request, but he obliges. 

_How light and weightless this is, a deadly poison you can breathe in like an air._ Echo decides to do what needs to be done. His finger points again, this time at the box, “That one too.” 

“Why?” Confusion is apparent in his voice and shifty gaze, but there isn’t a valid reason for him to say no. So the box is passed on from one man to the other, a slight brush against each others’ skins when Vigil hesitates and Echo insists. 

Upon finally having the cigarettes pried off, Echo shoves the single strand back into the box and stands up. One last look to see what is written on it; ‘ESSE.’ Not a brand around here, but still a bundle of nicotine concentrate. Echo steps back and watches Vigil who is readying to stand up as well. Without any time for a wind up, Echo throws the box away. A strong whip from shoulder to arm, an instant catapult.

“뭐- (What-)” Vigil’s head move along the parabola, the direction where the cigarettes are flew away. He then fixates a stare at this weird man who came out of nowhere for whatever unknown reasons,”What’s that for?”

“The thing I wanted to tell you,” Echo curls a fist but has his thumb scratching on the spot they shared a contact with, “Is that smoking is a stupid habit to develop.”

Vigil blinks five times a second, “That wasn’t yours to throw away."

“So what? Am I going to have my back covered by an irresponsible teammate coughing phlegm and slugging around on the field? No.” If some magical entity would allow Echo to take back ninety percent of the garbage that came out of his mouth, he may as well sign a contract with a devil. 

Bemusement settles down into a tense leer, “If I ever become incompetent or unsuitable for my job, then I won’t hesitate to step down and resign. No need for you to worry about that.” 

“No, that’s not-” Echo bites the edge of his tongue, “I mean, you won’t have to do that if you don’t smoke.”

“That is not for you to decide.” Vigil strides towards the hatch. He readies to fling it open and jump down, but a harsh grip pulls him away. 

“I’m not finished,” Echo tightens the hold, “Is this what you do all the time? Running away whenever you’re agitated?”

“Let go of me.” 

Echo can feel the tense bicep flexes within his hand. He is unsure whether the next course of this conversation will lead to rough housing or related threats, but he refuses to have this tension unsolved, “Why are you smoking in the first place? I’ve never seen you do this before.”

Vigil snaps back, “Let go.”

Echo refuses. He is aware of the hand-shaped bruise that will probably appear on Vigil’s arm later, and yet nothing else seems to be more important than right this moment, “I won’t. Not until I hear what’s going on with you.” 

“What’s there to talk about? How you’ve caught me doing something you deem foolish, when all I want is some peace and quiet?”

“You can do that. It’s all for you, but ruining your body isn’t part of having peace and quiet.” 

“It’s my body. No one else’s but mine,” With his free hand, Vigil claws into Echo’s wrist to rip off the hand binding him down, “My body to look after. My body to ruin. Not owed by whoever brought me into this world, not owed by who chose me to live with them.”

This is the first time Echo has seen the chip on his mask. Ever so stoic and reclusive, but no one asked what he’s hiding underneath, “What’s going on?”

“Nothing is going on. You’re insisting that there is something, but it’s none of your business.”

“It isn’t. But I want to know,” The wrist starts to sting and he’s about to lose the grip on Vigil, so Echo does what a man with another free hand would do. Gripping on Vigil’s hand that’s hurting him, “I can’t have you hurting yourself like this.”

“Because you think I’m going to hinder the whole team.”

“Because I care about you!” A piece of mind is spat out. The answer to his questions of why it bothered him when he found out Vigil smokes. All those scattering attention during their mock-missions, why he remembered what particular shoes a man would wear when it’s such a minor detail. Scared to find out if he’s being overbearing, Echo stutters a cover up, “That’s- that’s- what friends do. Right?”

“Friends,” Vigil’s mouth gapes, eyes searching for a place to stay but anywhere on Echo. He blinks again, licking dry lips and sighing heated air, “That’s what this is, huh?”

“Yes. I can-” _I can be more than that._ A dangerous urge flashes like a spark. Something too soon and rash to say when they have stepped closer than acquaintance zone, “I can hear you out. Cigarettes don’t have ears, do they?”

Vigil nods, “I suppose not.” He relaxes a little, allowing Echo to have some circulation going on in his arms.

“You don’t have to tell me today. I won’t barge into your private hide out like this again, but just. Don’t smoke.” _Stay healthy with us. With me. Don’t let anything get in your way to survive out there._

They let go of each other, but Vigil holds Echo’s wrist again. Gently lifting it up to study the harm already done, four short lines welling up with blood from his nails, “I wasn’t actually smoking.”

“Are you shitting me,” Stings and aches roll in, now that he isn’t as riled up, “Don’t tell lies.”

“I don’t lie; not to you. That cigarette was,” Vigil shoves his sleeve up to see red marks on where he was grabbed, “A little personal.”

“Was it a gift?” 

“No. I bought it from a shop that handles Korean goods,” His hands are still around Echo, and now helping the man to fold the sleeve up so blood won’t stain the clothes, “I don’t know what made me buy it. Probably something to do with my father’s favourite kind.”

“I see.” Not knowing how to connect the dots here, Echo does what he promised to do; listen and maybe stay completely still while he is being tenderly tended.

“My dead father’s favourite.” A faint smile but there’s no joy or longing. Echo catches a glint beneath Vigil’s wavering gaze.

“I thought your father is alive.” 

“There are some things about me that’s kept a secret. Only two people know about it in this base,” Vigil rubs his eyes. One quick wipe to draw a thin, wet line on the back of his hand, “Who knew it would still hurt after all these years.”

“So is that why you wanted to smoke?” Still doesn’t sound like a good enough reason, but it’s worth asking.

“It is the last thing he clung onto. Not food, not water. Maybe alcohol, but I wondered what was so good about a few sticks in his last moments of being stranded. Even when I was there with him,” He breathes in and appears to have difficulty when sounding clogged, “So that was my attempt to understand maybe one-tenth of what he did.”

“You’re telling me,” Echo places his hands on the younger man’s shoulders, “That you thought about repeating what your father did because you felt lonely and nostalgic?”

“Yes.” To words that cut sharp and accurate, Vigil diverts his eyes elsewhere.

 _Him and his blunt mouth again._ Echo clicks his tongue and inhales, “What about now? Are you lonely?”

“You aren’t allowing me to feel as such.”

“Is there a cigarette around?” 

“No,” Vigil turns to face the intruder, “And you’re clinging onto me.”

“Well, you were holding my wrist for a while,” Rush of blood runs Echo’s entire head, “So you were clinging onto me too.”

“No, you grabbed me first. Don’t make me sound needy.” Vigil frowns but tears seem to have sucked away. 

“The point is!” Echo can explode any minute. Not out of anger or frustration, but more from realising how their conversation sounds like passive-aggressive bicker, “Is this better than what you planned to do up here?”

“My arm is bruised and you’re bleeding.” How is he _this_ good at stating the obvious? 

Echo can’t believe he is making all these efforts on such a stone of a man, “Not only just bleeding, my entire neck and shoulders are bruised as well. That’s a huge minus on my part.”

“It is. I guess I shouldn’t have done that to you,” Vigil closes his eyes, “Sorry.”

“Likewise.” There are a number of things he wants to specify on why he should be the one apologising first; like harsh words and stalking. But that’s a different confession to make another time.

“Next time I can bring you up here, without you spying on me with yokai.”

 _Apologies commence now. He knew!_ “What was I supposed to do? Tell you not to smoke back at the lounge area?” More excuses instead of what he really should be doing. Echo is _so_ good at communicating.

“Yes. And would have saved my privacy.” Vigil resumes a leer, but much softer with his lips tense from holding a grin.

“Like crying?”

“You’ve seen it wrong,” This time Vigil acts quicker. He flips the hatch open and puts a foot down on the ladder, but looks back to see if he is being followed, “Maybe it's a good idea to show Kateb your wrist.”

“I'm coming down with you. No need to hurry.” Echo humbly accepts the invitation and follows along, for he still needs to say the word sorry and retrieve the gadgets stuck on the ceiling. All of those important things to be said and done before it’s too late. 

**Author's Note:**

> I just wanted to have Echo comfort Vigil and it kinda spiraled into something I didn't expect to go.  
> Meant to be a self-indulgent fic so uhhh the plot and characterisation might be a bit wonky. Thank you for reading!


End file.
